By Dr. Lucas

News from AAEP

AAEP

Dr. Brett Weseli honored by AAEP’s Good Works Campaign for May

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) commends Dr. Brett Weseli, the May honoree of the Good Works for Horses Campaign, whose volunteer efforts exposing children to horses and other animals are expanding knowledge and appreciation while helping to heal the human spirit. Good Works for Horses honors AAEP-member practitioners who perform volunteer service to benefit horses and the equine community. Horse owners and veterinary professionals are encouraged to nominate AAEP members for this monthly recognition.

AAEP Foundation, Industry Groups Issue Call for Bisphosphonate Research Proposals

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Three organizations dedicated to the improvement of horse health today announced a call for research proposals to investigate bisphosphonate administration in racehorses and in young racing prospects intended for sale at public auction. 

Dr. Ginger Reagan Receives AAEP’s Good Works Distinction for April

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) salutes Dr. Ginger Reagan, the April honoree of the Good Works for Horses Campaign, for both her efforts generating youth interest in horse health and responding to the plight of horses affected by historic flooding from Hurricane Florence.  Good Works for Horses honors AAEP-member practitioners who perform volunteer service to benefit horses and the equine community. Horse owners and veterinary professionals are encouraged to nominate AAEP members for this monthly recognition.
By Dr. Lucas

News from TheHorse.com

The Horse

Your Guide to Equine Health Care

Feed Mill Equipment Cleaning: Why it Matters for Your Horse

What does it mean if you find corn in your corn-free horse feed? Our nutritionist explains how mills are cleaned and how it can affect your horse’s health.

The post Feed Mill Equipment Cleaning: Why it Matters for Your Horse appeared first on The Horse.

Dealing With Equine Colic: Here Are 33 Do’s and Don’ts

Do you know what to do–and just as importantly, what not to do–if your horse displays vague, mild, or serious signs of what might be colic? Your answer could save your horse’s life.

The post Dealing With Equine Colic: Here Are 33 Do’s and Don’ts appeared first on The Horse.

Adult Horse Weight Calculator

Use our free adult horse weight calculator to estimate your horse's weight using body length and heart girth measurements.

The post Adult Horse Weight Calculator appeared first on The Horse.

By Dr. Lucas

The core vaccines: EEE/WEE, Rabies, West Nile Virus, Tetanus

Please read this article from Equus Magazine for important information about protecting your horse.

By Heidi Furseth

A number of dreadful diseases are now very rare among horses — thanks to some of the simplest and cheapest preventive measures we have.

Vaccination easily ranks as one one of the single most important things you do to protect your horse’s health. In fact, vaccines have been so successful that it’s rare to even hear of horses contracting several dreadful diseases that once loomed as a constant threat.

It is worthwhile, though, to remember what those injections are doing—especially the four “core” vaccines the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends for every horse.[More]

By Dr. Lucas

Fractures: Beyond the Limbs

They might be less common, but skull, rib, pelvis, and withers fractures are no less important. Learn more about fractures in this article from The Horse magazine.

By Joan Norton, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM

A broken bone in a large quadruped is serious stuff. Unlike a kid with a broken arm, you can’t just slap a cast on a horse and send him on his way. Thankfully, fractures aren’t frequent occurrences in horses. When they do happen the most common site is in the distal limb, particularly the cannon bone. But bones can break in a variety of places, and understanding the causes and associated complications will help you become more familiar with these less-common but no-less-important potential fracture sites.[More]

By Dr. Lucas

EHV-1: What Are We Learning?

An informative article from The Horse magazine:

By Heather Smith Thomas

There’s a life-threatening disease horses can harbor in their bodies without showing any signs of illness. But under stress—even inapparent stress—the horse can disperse the virus with every cough or sneeze, exposing nearby equids to the pathogen. All of this can happen undetected until, perhaps, a horse in the same barn turns up with a fever or another begins showing neurologic signs.

This nightmarish scenario can mark the start of an equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) outbreak, which most frequently occurs where horses congregate, such as at horse shows, trail rides, or barns with transient populations.[More]

By Dr. Lucas

Does your feeding program measure up?

Equus Magazine has a good article about feeding routines:

Take a moment to consider whether your feeding routine still provides the right amount of nutrients and calories for your horse.

by Laurie Bonner

Routines can be comforting. When balancing the demands of career, family and barn, it feels good to simply work your way through familiar chores—first the water, then the hay. Then a trip to the feed room, and with a can of this and a scoop of that, you’re done. Your reward, of course, is the sweet sound of munching in every stall. [More]

By Dr. Lucas

What your veterinarian wants you to know about antibiotics

Check out this article published in Equus Magazine.

by Melinda Freckleton, DVM

It’s easy to be casual about antibiotics. We’ve all taken them ourselves, they look like any other medication, and if you’ve had horses for any length of time, you are probably quite familiar with the “crush and dump” routine. But the nature of antibiotics requires a level of understanding and vigilance that goes beyond those required by many other medications that the average horse owner is likely to administer. [More]

By Dr. Lucas

Prevention: Sand Collic

Is your horse ingesting too much sand? Learn more in this article in Equus Magazine.

by Laurie Bonner

Horses who graze on loose, sandy soil are at risk of sand colic, which can occur if they ingest too much dirt with their forage. The consequences can range from very mild, transient digestive upsets, when the particles irritate the gut wall, to impactions or twists (volvulus), which can occur if large amounts of sand settle out of the ingesta and accumulate in the large intestine. [More]